Textile machine

ABSTRACT

A textile spinning frame including apparatus for automatically doffing and donning bobbins and, if desired, for rejoining breaks occurring in a strand of yarn. A carriage passes the numerous spinning positions on the frame and automatically delays its travel to service any spinning position requiring attention.

United States Patent Bell et al. 1 Sept. 5, 1972 [54] TEXTILE MACHINE [56] References Cited [72] Inventors: Charles C. Bell, East Greenwich, UNITED STATES PATENTS R.l.; Kurt W. Niederer, Charlotte, N.C. 3,128,590 4/1964 Escuvsell-Prat ..57/34 2,838,903 6/1958 Sutter ..57/77,3 X 1 Asslgneer Leesona Corporaflon, Warwwk, 3,025,656 3/1962 Cook .57/34 3,279,164 10/1966 Breen et al ..57/34 x [22] Filed: Aug. 19, 1970 2,734,335 2/1956 Saunders et al. ..57/86 2,515,299 7/1950 Foster et al. ..57/51.3 X [21] pp N 65,192 3,373,551 3/1968 GlllOnO et al ..57/34 Related Apphcafion Data Primary Examiner-wemer H. Schroeder [62] Division of Ser. No. 728,637, May 13, 1969, Attorney-Albert P. Davis and Burnett W. Norton which is a division of Ser. No. 534,081, March 14, 1966, Pat. No. 3,403,866. [57] ABSTRACT A textile spinning frame including apparatus for auto- [52] US. Cl. ..57/34 R, 57/58.89,5577//18566, maticany doffing and donning bobbins and, if desired for rejoining breaks occurring in a strand of yarn. A g 5 5 carriage passes the numerous spinning positions on the frame and automatically delays its travel to service any spinning position requiring attention.

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sum mar 19 0 3O 6O 90 I20 I50 I80 2|0 240 270 300 330 360 Carriage Motor Yarn Sensor Slide Sensor Shunt n Centering Eye Spindle Braking Bobbin Transporting Traveler Threading Traveler Blowing Down Yarn Transfer Up Down Knotter Positioning Vortex Air Spinning J Vortex Horizontal Movement I Vortex Vertical Movement I Knotting INVENTORS F CHARLES C. BELL KURT W NIEDERER WK 0W ATTORNEYS 

1. A method of transporting the free end of a strand capable of receiving twist comprising the steps of, moving said free end while inserting twist in said strand by rotating said free end.
 2. The method according to claim 1 wherein said strand is moved at a substantially constant rate of speed.
 3. The method according to claim 1 wherein said strand is moved substantially axially thereof.
 4. A method of conveying strandular material issuing from the drafting system of a spinning machine comprising the steps of, engaging the free end of the drafted material issuing from said drafting system, moving said material by its free end through a predetermined path, and rotating said free end of said drafted material to insert twist in the material during said movement.
 5. The method according to claim 4 wherein the movement of said material is maintained at a substantially constant rate of speed.
 6. The method according to claim 4 wherein said movement is at a rate of speed not exceeding the rate at which the material issues from the drafting system.
 7. The method according to claim 4 including the step of threading said twisted material through a ring traveller of a textile machine.
 8. A method of joining the end of a material issuing from the drafting system of a spinning machine with the outer portion of strand on a take-up means adapted to collect the material issuing from said drafting system comprising the steps of, moving the end of said material to a reuniting position, continuously twisting said material during movement thereof, retrieving the outer portion of the strand on said take-up means, moving said outer end portion of said strand to said reuniting position, and finally joining the end of said material with the outer end portion of the strand.
 9. The method according to claim 8 wherein the rate of movement of said material to said reuniting position is maintained at a substantially constant rate of speed.
 10. The method according to claim 8 wherein the movement of said material to the reuniting position is at a rate of speed not exceeding the rate at which the material issues from the drafting system.
 11. Apparatus for conveying a strand of material capable of receiving twist comprising, movable means for engaging a free end of said strand, power means for delivering said movable means through a predetermined course, and means for rotating said free end of said material to insert twist in the strand during its engagement with said movable means.
 12. Apparatus as set forth in claim 11 wherein the movement of the said strand is at a substantially constant rate.
 13. In a spinning machine having a plurality of positions each of which is adapted to draft material through a drafting system and take up the material on a rotating spindle while twisting the material into yarn by means of a ring and traveller carried on a vertically reciprocating ring rail, the improvement therein comprising, mechanism including a carriage movable lengthwise of said ring rail, a yarn detector mounted on said carriage for sensing the presence or absence of material in operative location at each said position, means operable in response to signal from said detector sensing the absEnce of material in operative location at any position to retrieve said material from said drafting system and reposition it in operative location while imparting coherency to the material, and means for reinitiating take up of said material on said spindle.
 14. The combination as set forth in claim 13 wherein said means for repositioning said material includes means for threading said material through said traveller.
 15. The combination as set forth in claim 13 including means for imparting twist to said material during repositioning of the material in its operative location to thereby impart coherency to the material.
 16. The combination as set forth in claim 13 wherein said means for retrieving and repositioning said yarn includes means for scanning said drafting system for retrieval of said material therefrom.
 17. The combination as set forth in claim 13 including control means for shunting said position from further signal of said detector when the material has not been repositioned in operative location at said position.
 18. The combination as set forth in claim 13 wherein said yarn detector is a feeler wire.
 19. The combination as set forth in claim 13 wherein said yarn detector is a pneumatically operated switch.
 20. Apparatus for joining the end of material issuing from a drafting system of a spinning machine with the outer end portion of a take-up package comprising, joining means, means operable to move the material issuing from said drafting system to said joining means, means operable to impart twist to said material during its conveyance to said joining means, and carrier means for moving said outer end portion of said package to said joining means for joining with said material from said drafting system.
 21. Apparatus as set forth in claim 20 wherein movement of said material to said joining means is at a substantially constant rate.
 22. Apparatus as set forth in claim 20 wherein the movement of said means for moving said material is controlled at a rate not exceeding the rate at which the material issues from said drafting system.
 23. Apparatus as set forth in claim 20 wherein said joining means is a knotting device, and including means for operating said knotting device when said material and said outer end portion are positioned therein to thereby knot said material and outer end portion together.
 24. Apparatus for joining the end of material issuing from the drafting system of a spinning machine with the outer end portion of a take-up package adapted to receive said material advancing from the drafting system thereto via a traveller movable on a ring comprising, joining means, means operable to move the material issuing from said drafting system to said joining means while imparting coherency to the material, carrier means adapted to move said end portion to said joining means for uniting with said material, and means for threading said outer end portion through said traveller.
 25. Apparatus as set forth in claim 24 including means for twisting said material during movement thereof by said moving means to impart coherency to the material.
 26. Apparatus as set forth in claim 24 wherein said carrier means positions said outer end portion adjacent said ring, and means for propelling the traveller around at least a portion of said ring to ride over and engage said end portion.
 27. Apparatus as set forth in claim 26 including means for deflecting said outer end portion around at least a portion of said ring preliminary to propelling said traveller.
 28. Apparatus as set forth in claim 24 including means for finding the outer end portion of said package, and means for delivering said portion to said carrier means.
 29. Apparatus as set forth in claim 28 wherein said end-finding means includes scanning means, and transport means for carrying said package into the operative zone of said scanning means to find the outer end portion thereof.
 30. Apparatus as set forth in claim 29 wherein said scanning means is a brush.
 31. In combination with a spinning machine having a plurality of positions each of which is adapted to draft roving material through a drafting system and take up the material on a rotating spindle while twisting the material into yarn by means of a ring and traveller carried on a vertically reciprocating ring rail operable to move each ring and traveller axially of its associated bobbin to distribute the yarn thereon, the combination therewith comprising, mechanism including a carriage movable lengthwise of said ring rail, means for moving said carriage, a platform on said carriage for reciprocating movement cooperatively with said ring rail, a detector for sensing the presence or absence of yarn in operative location at each said position, means operated by said detector upon the absence of material at a position for halting the carriage at such position and for arresting the rotation of said spindle, scanning means operable to locate the outer end portion of yarn on the bobbin after said carriage is halted, carrier means, means operable to deliver said end portion to said carrier means, actuating means for activating said carrier means to deliver said end portion to a position for engagement with said ring traveller; joining means; means for subsequently activating said carrier means to deliver said end portion to said joining means, means for delivering said roving material to said joining means while imparting coherency to the material, operative means for operating said joining means to unite said roving material and said outer end portion, means for releasing the spindle arresting means, means for testing the presence of material in operative location after release of the spindle arresting means, and means for reinitiating movement of said carriage.
 32. The combination as set forth in claim 31 including means responsive to said testing means to shunt said carriage past said position on succeeding cycles of the carriage when the material and outer end portion have not been rejoined at the joining means.
 33. The combination as set forth in claim 31 including means for twisting the roving material during movement thereof to the joining means to thereby impart coherency to the material.
 34. The combination as set forth in claim 31 wherein said joining means is a knotting device.
 35. The combination as set forth in claim 31 including means operable in response to said testing means for severing said roving between a supply thereof and said drafting system when said material and outer end portion have not been joined.
 36. A detector for sensing the condition of material at a given position comprising a switch normally open to break a circuit, means biasing said switch to closed position to complete the circuit, and baffle means responsive to the absence of said material at the given position to interrupt the biasing means whereby to permit said switch to open and break the circuit.
 37. A detector as set forth in claim 36 wherein said biasing means is a fluid jet, and said switch includes a target plate against which the force of said jet is exerted.
 38. A detector as set forth in claim 37 wherein said baffle means includes a baffle plate normally maintained in an inactive position away from the path of said fluid jet, and movable into the path of said jet to obstruct its action on said target plate in the absence of material at the given position.
 39. Apparatus for twisting roving into yarn comprising, a nozzle having a bore therethrough adapted to receive roving, aperture means opening into said bore, said aperture means including a plurality of apertures intersecting tangentially with the internal surface of said bore, said apertures inclining rearwardly relative to a forward open end of said bore, and means for introducing pressurized air through said apertures into said bore in a vortical path, a zone of reduced pressure being provided adjacent said forward open end by said pressurized fluid to draw the roving therein and twist the roving into yarn.
 40. Apparatus as set forth in claim 39 including a cap surrounding said apertures and defining a chamber for admission of pressurized air, said means for introducing pressurized air being connected with said cap.
 41. Apparatus as set forth in claim 39 wherein said bore includes an open rear end generally coaxial with said forward open end, the twisted yarn being discharged through said rear end.
 42. Apparatus as set forth in claim 11 wherein said means for rotating said material about its axis is a fluid presented to said material in a rotating path.
 43. Apparatus as set forth in claim 42 wherein said fluid is pressurized air.
 44. In a spinning machine having a plurality of positions each of which is adapted to draft material through a drafting system and take up the material on a rotating spindle while twisting the material into yarn by means of a ring or traveller carried on a vertically reciprocating rail, the improvement therein comprising, mechanism including a carriage movable lengthwise of said ring rail, a yarn detector for sensing the presence or absence of material in operative location at each said position, means operable in response to signal from said detector sensing the absence of material in operative location at any position to retrieve said material from said drafting system and reposition it in operative location while imparting coherency to the material, and means for reinitiating take up of said material on said spindle.
 45. The combination as set forth in claim 44 wherein said means for repositioning said material includes means for threading said material through said traveller.
 46. The combination as set forth in claim 44 including means for twisting said material during repositioning of the material in its operative location to thereby impart coherency to the material.
 47. The combination as set forth in claim 44 wherein said means for retrieving and repositioning said yarn includes means for scanning said drafting system for retrieval of said material therefrom.
 48. The combination as set forth in claim 44 including control means for shunting said position from further signal of said detector when the material has not been repositioned in operative location at said position.
 49. The combination as set forth in claim 44 wherein said yarn detector is a feeler wire.
 50. The combination as set forth in claim 44 wherein said yarn detector is a pneumatically operated switch.
 51. Apparatus for reinitiating winding of a strand advancing from a supply and severing the advancing strand if strand reinitiation is not successful comprising, means for delivering said strand from a supply for collection at a locus remote from said supply, means operable to reinitiate advancement of the strand upon interruption in its advance from said delivery means to said collection locus, severing means, means mounting said severing means for movement to sever said strand upstream of the delivery means, and means operable on signal indicating that advance of said strand has not been reinitiated to move said severing means to sever said strand.
 52. Apparatus as set forth in claim 51 wherein said severing means includes strand engaging means.
 53. Apparatus as set forth in claim 51 including sensing means for detecting the condition of the advancing strand, said sensing means being operable to initiate the movement of said severing means to said active position.
 54. Apparatus for severing a strand advancing along a strand processing station comprising, severing means, means mounting said severing means for movement between an inactive position and an active position where the severing means operates to sever the strand, and patrolling means movable relative to a plurality of said stations, the severing means being mounted on the patrolling means.
 55. Apparatus as set forth in claim 54 including sensing means on said patrolling means for detecting a malfunction at said station, said sensing means operating to initiate movemEnt of the severing means to said active position in response to detection of said malfunction.
 56. Apparatus as set forth in claim 55 including strand advancing means at said station for advancing said strand from a source of supply, said severing means operating to sever the strand between said supply source and said advancing means.
 57. A method of reinitiating winding of a strand advancing from a supply and severing the strand if said reinitiation is unsuccessful comprising the steps of, advancing the strand from a supply source to a collection locus by advancing means positioned intermediate said supply source and collection locus, sensing the condition of said strand downstream of said supply source, processing said strand to attempt reinitiation of the advance of said strand when an interruption in said advance is sensed, producing a signal when said reinitiation is unsuccessful, and severing said strand in response to said signal.
 58. The method of claim 57 including the step of, severing said strand between said supply source and said advancing means.
 59. The method according to claim 57 wherein the strand is positioned in a zone downstream of the advancing means if reinitiation is successful and including the steps of, sensing the presence of the strand in said zone after said reinitiation attempt, and severing said strand when the strand is not sensed in said zone. 